


Fog

by TheLadyFiction



Series: Evie Trevelyan: Bull Rider [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fog, PTSD, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 22:56:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7483203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyFiction/pseuds/TheLadyFiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bull wakes to fog over Skyhold and reacts badly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fog

**Author's Note:**

> Another fluffy expansion of my personal DA:I universe. The idea of Bull being really afraid of fog has been one that I've seen a bit recently, and kind of liked the whole hurt/comfort idea of it, but also, Skyhold is way up there in the mountains, so would be likely to get really thick fog and that had been playing on my mind too!
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy, hope you like, please comment if you have any con-crit or praise, it all keeps me going and thank you for reading!
> 
> (Mature for some sexual language towards the end!)

' _Shit_ ,' was Bull's initial thought as he looked out of the window of Evie's room, seeing nothing but thick, white fog engulfing the keep.

 

It had been a good morning, until he had caught sight of the fog, waking up in Evie's bed after another fulfilling night together, Evie beginning her preparations for the day with her usual bath, Bull getting to lay in due to the Chargers being away on a job. Then...

 

The mist was so thick, he could only see a dull outline of Cullen's tower across the courtyard he knew was there, everything else obscured, the ramparts, the guard-tower, everything.

 

His whole body went rigid, a cold fear pooling at the base of his spine, adrenaline suddenly rushing around his body as his heartbeat picked up, every muscle primed now to react.

 

' _Get to her_ ', was the second thing that went through his mind, a deep thrumming in his ears, every hair on his body stood on end, goose pimples across all of his skin.

 

Acting purely on instinct, he backed away from the window, never taking his eye from it, an old habit he would never let go of.

 

_'Never turn your back to the fog. There are knives in it. There are always knives in it, just waiting for the right moment.'_

_'But we're in a tower, there's no way...'_

_'There's always a way'._

 

His back bumped into the adjoining door, a quiet 'thunk' on the wood, making him jump, his inner monologue ceasing as he heard Evie's voice from within.

 

“Bull, is everything okay?” she asked softly. Her voice echoed off the stone walls of the bathroom behind the door, making her sound quite far away.

 

Bull opened his mouth answer, but could only focus on the fog.

 

' _Don't make a sound. They'll know where you are.'_

 

His words caught in this throat, a lump forming there now as memories of red, of blurs racing across his vision, cutting down his company, his comrades, his friends washed over him.

 

A sob rose to his throat and escaped before he had a chance to stifle it, and there was movement, the sloshing of water behind the door.

 

“Bull? What's wrong?”

 

Evie sounded worried now.

He splayed himself across the door now, eye still fixed on the window.

 

' _They will not get her',_ his mind screamed. _'I will not let them.'_

 

“Bull? Answer me!”

 

Opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water, Bull could only stand there, his muscles locked again as a swirl of mist passed the window.

 

' _Or was it one of them?'_

 

Panic seized him again, his hands now on the walls next to the door, digging into the stone, leaving scratch marks as he clenched his fists.

 

The pat of wet feet on stone tiles registered dimly in his mind, a myriad of escape routes, of combat scenarios all swirling, awash, distracting him so much he never heard the click of the door handle as Evie swung it open, into the bathroom and he lost the support of the wood, tumbling back on to the hard stone floor.

 

Evie only just moved out of the way in time to avoid being crushed by his bulk, watching, wide-eyed as Bull scrambled back to his feet, chest heaving, drawing long, deep breaths, eye fixed on something out the door.

 

“What is it? What's out there?” she asked gently, reaching a hand for him, fear turning her blood cold when he didn't respond.

 

The next question in her mouth turned to a surprised gasp as he launched himself suddenly to the door, slamming it shut and bracing himself against it, splaying his body across the exit, closing his eye now, breathing harder but no slower.

 

“Bull, please, you're scaring me,” Evie admitted, taking a step back.

 

Still no response, just the hyperventilating mercenary, across the door, now blocking her exit, obviously panicked, and Evie was considering her options.

 

“Please, talk to me,” she begged now, genuinely fearful; if something had spooked Bull this badly, it was definitely nothing good.

She reached for the robe she had put aside for after her bath, wrapping around herself tightly, fastening the cord around her hips and looking to him again, watching as he opened his eye again, looking around the room, eye lingering on the window.

 

“Bull,” she said again, not a question this time, but a demand for information.

 

Still no reply.

 

“Bull, move and let me out.”

“No,” he finally replied, his voice low, menacing. There was a tone in his voice usually reserved for curses against enemies, and Evie recoiled as if physically struck.

 

It only took her a moment to compose herself again.

“You can't keep me in here,” she tried to reason, taking a step forward. “Now move. I'm going out,” she ordered him, stepping confidently until, just before she reached the door, he reached for her wrist, grabbing _hard_ and used her limb to force her backwards, a motion which hurt and left her hissing in pain.

 

“Bull,” she warned now, feeling the veil moving around her as her body went into defence mode.

“Move.”

“No,” he repeated, voice still low.

“Why not?” she demanded with a confidence she no longer felt; if it came to it, she knew that, physically, she was totally and utterly outmatched, and while most of the time, that was a comfort to her, right now, Bull was terrifying.

“Because they're out there.”

 

Evie opened her mouth to retort but froze.

“What? Who?” she asked, panic flaring in her again. Was Skyhold under attack? She looked around the bathroom – all of her gear, her armour, her staff, it was all the other side of the door.

Bull opened his mouth to respond.

 _'Fog warriors, fucking fog warriors!'_ his mind screamed at him, when suddenly, logic seemed to catch up with him.

 

_'This isn't Seheron'._

 

The words bounced around his head for a moment, clearing the haze that had gathered like a breeze on a stifling day.

' _This isn't Seheron and we're in Skyhold and Evie is...'_

 

He drew a deep breath, looking now to Evie where she stood by the tub, hair still dripping wet from the bath, her robe clutched tightly around her, fear written across her face as she stared at him, expectant.

 

“I...” Bull tried to form words again, his legs beginning to shake beneath him; he felt weightless and like he was made of iron, all at the same time, a great weight crashing in on itself.

 

Another unbidden sob escaped his chest as his muscles seemed to melt away, his entire body slumping down against the wooden door, shame, guilt and relief washing over him in equal measure as the realisation of his situation set in.

 

His chest heaved, tears spilling down his scarred skin now. He didn't care, not as Evie was on him in a second, her arms wrapped around his neck, lips on his skin, at his ear, whispering soothing words, comforting him.

 

He reached back for her, his hand against her leg, pulling her closer, needing to feel her, to feel something real, tangible.

 

“It's okay,” she cooed gently, one hand now gently stroking the skin in the join of his neck and shoulder. “Whatever happens, it's alright.”

 

“It's not,” Bull croaked after a moment. “I... I'm losing my mind... I was so sure I was...” He paused, trying to formulate the words in his mind.

Evie leant her head on him with a sigh, offering him a smile when their gaze finally met.

 

“So we're not under attack?” she asked gently, seeming calmer now. So was her way; in a crisis, when everyone else panicked and fumbled, Evie stood strong, the eye of the storm, no matter the cost to herself.

 

Bull tried for words again, but only found another sob in it's place.

He was beginning to feel weak, feel broken as her hand slipped into his and he felt her weight as she lay next to him on the cold floor, her head on his heaving chest.

 

He clutched at her like she was a lifeline, one hand on her neck, the other on her hip, drawing her closer to him as the heaving of his chest lessened and all of his emotion was spent.

 

Throughout, she continued with soft, soothing words, her own hands on Bull's chest, rubbing a gentle, repetitive pattern.

 

Her skin and hair was almost dry by the time Bull's heartbeat returned to normal, his breathing steady once again, hands no longer clutching at Evie but holding her, stroking gently, exhausted from the ordeal; it had been a long time since he'd had an episode like that.

 

“Kadan, I'm...”

“Don't you dare,” she cut him off, her voice wavering as she spoke, one hand moving to his chest, feeling his heartbeat under the muscle, fingers clenching slightly. “You never have to apologise,” she murmured, turning her face up to him now.

 

Her eyes were swimming with unspent tears, tears for him, for his past, tears for what _they_ did to him.

 

Bull sighed, his eye on her, emotions he didn't quite have a full grasp of yet swirling inside him, fighting to be acknowledged. He silenced them by leaning down to her, their lips meeting gently at first, but soon more passionate as she pressed into him, her arms moving back up to circle his neck, shifting herself into his lap.

 

The kiss did not turn sexual, but instead, as they broke apart, they simply sat in comfortable silence until Evie cleared her throat a little, drawing Bull's attention.

 

“So, what happened to make you...” she trailed off, hoping she had conveyed her question. Bull sighed again, now feeling more foolish than anything, and guilty for scaring her.

 

“Fog,” he replied simply, gesturing for her to stand. She complied, stepping back to allow him up, one hand moving to his arm as he stood, hissing in pain when he put too much weight on his bad leg, compensating but not quite catching himself in time.

He flashed a reassuring smile and moved to open the door, hesitating for a moment. His hand froze, just above the knob of metal.

 

Evie watched, slowly moving forward, looking to him for permission as she reached for the door handle. Bull gave a short nod, every muscle in his body tensing once again as he heard the soft click of the door opening, drawing a deep breath into his lungs.

 

She pushed the door with minimal force, revealing the bright light of the day, sunlight reflected by the snow white fog, still settled over Skyhold like a soup.

 

They both shielded their eyes, Evie letting out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding as she cautiously stepped back into her room, looking around as she did so.

 

The room, predictably, was empty, and Evie breathed out a sigh, turning to Bull who ducked through the door-frame, careful not to catch his horns.

 

He too surveyed the room, finding nothing amiss, trying to ignore the white of the fog still lingering outside and failing, his eye locking on the mist, the familiar panic rising in him again.

 

But before his chest could tighten once again, he found himself being led towards the large, stone bed that dominated the room by hands much smaller than his own, and pushed down onto his back on the plush mattress.

 

He allowed himself to be pushed down, pleasantly surprised when Evie straddled him, her legs parted wide in the motion, robe still wrapped around her, covering her torso.

 

Bull gave an appreciative hum as she settled herself, the warm heat of her on his clothed crotch, and suddenly what was outside the window didn't matter so much any more.

 

“You will always be safe here,” Evie murmured softly as she leant up to kiss him, hands bracing her on his chest. “I will never let harm come to you.”

“Nor I to you,” he responded instantly, the weight on his chest seeming to lift a little at the grin she flashed him. “Kadan,” he began, moving one hand to her face, stroking across her cheek.

 

But his words were cut off by a groan as she ground her hips against him, the wet heat of her sending a shiver through his body.

 

“Now, let's see if we can't keep your mind off of all of this,” Evie grinned, sitting upright, unknotting the robe and throwing it off the side of the bed, exposing her naked body to Bull, who gave an appreciative hum as he slid his hands to her hips, pulling her against him.

 

Bull gave a returning smirk as he bucked his hips, her tits bouncing with the force above him and a low groan escaping her lips, all thoughts of the fog gone from his mind.

 

 

By the time Evie was done distracting him, the fog had lifted had the sun had broken through.

 

 


End file.
